{"id":1063,"date":"2020-11-23T22:31:32","date_gmt":"2020-11-24T03:31:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/?p=1063"},"modified":"2020-11-24T20:28:00","modified_gmt":"2020-11-25T01:28:00","slug":"a-review-and-analysis-of-positions-by-ariana-grande","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/2020\/11\/23\/a-review-and-analysis-of-positions-by-ariana-grande\/","title":{"rendered":"A Review and Analysis of Positions by Ariana Grande"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lauren Larsen<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

On October 30th, record-breaking singer Ariana Grande released her sixth studio album Positions<\/em>. She dropped the title track \u201cpositions\u201d a week prior, teasing the name of the album for her fans. The 14-song collection features three collaborations and highlights Grande\u2019s R&B skills and wide vocal range — from low tones to whistle notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In February 2019, Grande released thank u, next<\/em> just six months after the release of her fourth studio album Sweetener<\/em>. thank u, next<\/em> detailed the emotional toll of her boyfriend Mac Miller\u2019s death and Grande\u2019s subsequent disengagement from actor and comedian Pete Davidson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Positions<\/em> was a departure from her previous work, as Grande explores intimacy and personal growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every track on the record claimed the top 14 spots in the United States Top 50 List in a single day. Grande made history as the first artist with five Hot 100 #1 debuts and three #1 debuts in a single year, as “positions” joined “Rain on Me” and “Stuck With U” as her three 2020 hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Positions<\/em> opens with \u201cshut up,\u201d a song with significant orchestral moments and synchronous layered vocals. Grande was criticized for the simple background instrumentals on thank u, next<\/em>. In response to those critics, track one on this album has a whimsical multidimensional feeling to it, as stringed instruments paint the backdrop of Grande\u2019s lyrics. The final 26 seconds of the song is dominated solely by this complex yet effortless sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Track two, \u201c34+35,\u201d is a fun upbeat song that was actually the first of the record to earn a music video from Grande following the release. In the video, Grande acts as a researcher and test subject in a lab; her invention is a fembot who sparks craziness and fun for the research team depicted in the video. The song itself is playful and lighthearted, as an almost Disney-like pop feel carries throughout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Grande in the “34+35” music video<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The first track with a collaboration is the third song \u201cmotive,\u201d which features American singer, songwriter, and rapper Doja Cat. \u201cWe did this song together towards the end of last year, and I love it so much,\u201d said Grande according to Apple Music, \u201cI remember when I first wrote it and sent it to her, she was in the shower, and she was like, \u2018I love this.\u2019\u201d As said in the title, \u201cmotive\u201d is simply about the intentions of Grande\u2019s partners. It has a subtly suspicious mood and medium-to-low tone, adding to the mysterious feeling of it. The song ends with the artist repeatedly singing, \u201cWhat\u2019s your motive?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The peppy, bubbly song \u201cjust like magic,\u201d track four, clearly exudes a confident energy and attitude from Grande. While she alludes to sadness in her past, like with the lyric, \u201cTake my pen and write some love letters to Heaven,\u201d she also demonstrates a personal comeback with lines like, \u201cGood karma, my aesthetic \/ Keep my conscience clear, that’s why I’m so magnetic \/ Manifest it, I finessed it\u201d and, \u201cLosing friends left and right, but I just send ’em love and light.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Track five features the second collaboration on the album. The song, \u201coff the table,\u201d features Abel Tesfaye, a Canadian R&B artist better known as The Weeknd. The song is a bit of a mood shift from \u201cjust like magic,\u201d as Grande explores her readiness to enter another relationship, while Tesfaye describes how he can be patient. The music itself features heavier and deeper sounds reverberating at a slow and contemplative pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ironically, track six is called \u201csix thirty.\u201d Before the song was released, fans noticed in the \u201cpositions\u201d music video that all of the clocks were set to 6:30p.m. The track has a catchy chorus and post-chorus as Grande sings, \u201cSix thirty \/ Down like six thirty \/ Down like sunsets \/ Down like my head on your chest.\u201d Finger snaps are included, connecting this track to \u201cjust like magic\u201d where Grande sings, \u201cMiddle finger to my thumb and then I snap it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final collab of the record is on track seven; \u201csafety net\u201d features singer, songwriter, and record producer Ty Dolla $ign. Grande continues to delve into her personal growth in lines like, \u201cYou’re making me forget my past \/ Never thought I\u2019d feel like that again \/ I came to peace with my path.\u201d The beat and tone are very cohesive with \u201cmotive\u201d and \u201coff the table\u201d as it is slowed\u00a0down and incorporates deeper moods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cmy hair,\u201d track eight, is all about — you guessed it — Grande\u2019s signature ponytail. She takes a unique spin on this, however, as she sings about letting her hair down and trusting others with her insecurities through vulnerability. Grande echos the iconic whistle notes she hit in \u201cimagine,\u201d the first track on thank u, next<\/em>, at the end of \u201cmy hair.\u201d She belts the final chorus in this manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next song, \u201cnasty,\u201d while about female empowerment, also reveals more connections to her previous songs on other records. In the second verse, she sings, \u201cYou’re like a whole constellation,\u201d which correlates to lyrics on track three of thank u, next<\/em>, \u201cNASA,\u201d or \u201cpete davidson,\u201d the 14th song on Sweetener<\/em>. In the latter track, Grande wrote, \u201cNo better place or a time \/ (Look) how they align \/ Universe must have my back \/ fell from the sky into my lap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tenth song, \u201cwest side,\u201d is about being selective with those whom she chooses to let in and love. The beat of this song is immaculate; it\u2019s structured, yet simple, but will still get listeners to bop their heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201clove language,\u201d is the track with the most jarring intro of the entire record. Moreso, the outro has an 11-second audio fade followed by a surprising final 20 seconds worth of lyrics that conclude the track. The chorus from \u201clove language\u201d also forms another bridge with Sweetener<\/em>\u2019s \u201cbreathin,\u201d as Grande sings, \u201cIf you’re gonna keep speaking my love language. You can talk your sh*t all night. You the medication when I’m feeling anxious.\u201d In \u201cbreathin,\u201d Grande explains, \u201cI can so overcomplicate, people tell me to medicate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following track is the album\u2019s title single, \u201cpositions.\u201d On the evening of the last Presidential Debate, Grande dropped the music video for this song. In it, she is Madam President and powerfully struts throughout the White House and leads Cabinet meetings, signs important documents, and issues a high Presidential honor. It pans to other scenes that correlate to the lyrics as she is not just in a position typically dominated by men, but is also, \u201cCookin in the kitchen and I\u2019m in the bedroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Grande in the “positions” music video<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The second-to-last track is \u201cobvious.\u201d It is about how her current boyfriend Dalton Gomez has opened her up to true love again. This is one that can be slowly danced and smiled to, as she hits some higher notes in the chorus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Track 14, \u201cpov,\u201d is the best song on the record. She expands on the theme of personal growth; for example, in \u201cghostin,\u201d the eighth track on thank u, next<\/em>, she sings, \u201cI’m a girl with a whole lot of baggage.\u201d However in the bridge of \u201cpov,\u201d she reveals, \u201cAll my baggage fadin’ safely.\u201d In the beginning, it is slower as her voice creeps further up the scale. In the end, Grande leaves us with her classic beautiful belted notes as she takes the final verse and chorus up a notch before letting the song drift to a close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, Positions<\/em>, is an incredibly beautiful and intricate album by Grande. It is clear that the artist has found a sense of peace within herself since the Sweetener<\/em> and thank u, next<\/em> era. This album marks a new time for Grande, and of course, another success by one of the most iconic artists in the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On October 30th, record-breaking singer Ariana Grande released her sixth studio album Positions. She dropped the title track \u201cpositions\u201d a week prior, teasing the name of the album for her fans. The 14-song collection features three collaborations and highlights Grande\u2019s R&B skills and wide vocal range — from low tones to whistle notes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1064,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-style"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/115143117_albumcoverpa.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1063"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1063\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1116,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1063\/revisions\/1116"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acpsk12.org\/theogony\/2020-2021\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}